At over six feet tall, the US president was photographed bending to nearly a 90 degree angle when he greeted the relatively diminutive Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace on Saturday.
Right-wing websites criticised the US president for showing deference to the Japanese emperor, with the Drudge Report running a banner headline reading: “Obama bows before Japan’s emperor”.

Critics claimed the sign of deference went against state department protocol, which decrees that presidents bow to no one.

In a blog post titled “How low will he go?” , the LA Times’ Andrew Malcolm compared Mr Obama’s bow unfavourably to the upright greetings extended to the emperor by Dick Cheney, the former US vice-president, and Douglas MacArthur, the latter observed during the US occupation of Japan following the Second World War. Mr Malcolm suggested that Mr Obama’s “wow bow” was undignified and showed a lack of understanding of the history between the two countries.

At least one blogger went as far as to call the president’s actions “treasonous”.

Right-wing commentators unleashed similar criticism in April, when Mr Obama bowed to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia during the G20 summit.
The Washington Times called the alleged bow a "shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate", which ran contrary to American tradition of not deferring to royalty.

"By bending over to show greater respect to Islam, the US president belittled the power and independence of the United States," the paper said in an editorial. "Such an act is a traditional obeisance befitting a king's subjects, not his peer."

But a senior administration official dismissed the criticism , telling Politico that the US president had simply been observing protocol by bowing to Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.
"I think that those who try to politicise those things are just way, way, way off base," he told the website.

Mr Obama is not the first US president to come under criticism for his treatment of royal hosts and visitors.
Bill Clinton, the former US president, experienced similar problems when he welcomed the Japanese emperor at the White House. He was widely mocked for slightly inclining his head in a non-committal semi-bow.

No cause breaking a presidential mandate and making a fool of yourself to the world, thats a "non-story". lol

Heres another non story. Obama has a forged selective service paper! Or how about that he has ordered more drone attacks in a few months, then bush did in years, killing hundreds of people. How about that we are trillions of dollars in debt! Yup, those are non storys too, right? Oh wait, fox news just makes stuff up, its all lies! hahaha. Blind followers being led by a corporate puppet, its hilarious.

How about you obama followers, start a thread about all the promises that he made during his election campaign, and detail which of those promises he kept! You left wingers, bash all the right wing insults against obama, yet have no positive stories to share. That should tell you something. Detail how this country has improved in the past year. NOT future plans, I want to hear what positive impact he has had. Cause it looks like the economy is worse, he has no idea how to handle the middle east, he bows before foreign leaders, he takes vacations instead of visiting the fort hood soldiers, etc.

Heres another non story. Obama has a forged selective service paper! Or how about that he has ordered more drone attacks in a few months, then bush did in years, killing hundreds of people. How about that we are trillions of dollars in debt! Yup, those are non storys too, right?

No..those are stories; and rather important ones. You see, those all are about his decisions for the country.

I don't think you understand the difference

And yes, Fox News does suck. If you actually get your "news" solely from there or solely from any other radically-biased station from the left or right, you're pretty much a sheep.

It's great being an independent. You should try it some time. It's quite liberating making decisions for yourself about important political issues rather than rely on some "news" agency to do all of the critical thinking for you; and they probably don't even do any critical thinking. Extreme political party followers are just barbaric people who care more about how their party looks than any decisions that are made. That is why you cannot listen to Fox, CNN, etc.

And yes, Fox News does suck. If you actually get your "news" solely from there or solely from any other radically-biased station from the left or right, you're pretty much a sheep.

Nit picking I understand, however with obama its non stop. He cant even greet a foreign leader properly. The guy is a goof. He appoints illegal czars, his acorn thugs beat up people, trillions in debt now, its crazy.

And I dont actually watch any american news station. Every american news station has an agenda. Every news story has facts. Thats what I look at, and not the spin put on it by either side.

Nit picking I understand, however with obama its non stop. He cant even greet a foreign leader properly. The guy is a goof. He appoints illegal czars, his acorn thugs beat up people, trillions in debt now, its crazy.

And I dont actually watch any american news station. Every american news station has an agenda. Every news story has facts. Thats what I look at, and not the spin put on it by either side.

Um, its a presidential mandate to not bow, and its against the way you greet the japanese leader. He was wrong on two different accounts. The cliche, japanese bow thing, doesnt apply here man. Theres a protocol that he didnt follow, that every other president was able to.

Um, its a presidential mandate to not bow, and its against the way you greet the japanese leader. He was wrong on two different accounts. The cliche, japanese bow thing, doesnt apply here man. Theres a protocol that he didnt follow, that every other president was able to.

And what was Bush kissing the Saudi Prince doing? Bowing and kissing is a sign of respect and greeting in cultures. Get over it.

I don't knock Bush kissing the prince or Obama for bowing. This is a joke. Say what you want about Obama's policies, but to kill him over a bow? Jeez.

And what was Bush kissing the Saudi Prince doing? Bowing and kissing is a sign of respect and greeting in cultures. Get over it.

I don't knock Bush kissing the prince or Obama for bowing. This is a joke. Say what you want about Obama's policies, but to kill him over a bow? Jeez.

First of all, im greek and go to europe almost monthly. I know about foreign greetings, lol, so im not sure what I need to get over. I probably know more about foreign greetings then you. Obama screwed up......again.

Is it a huge deal, nope. He has screwed up with way more important things then a greeting. However for somebody like me, that isnt affected by obama either way, its hilarious how he cant even do one thing correctly. Its like having jerry lewis as president. I find it funny thats all.

First of all, im greek and go to europe almost monthly. I know about foreign greetings, lol, so im not sure what I need to get over. I probably know more about foreign greetings then you. Obama screwed up......again.

Is it a huge deal, nope. He has screwed up with way more important things then a greeting. However for somebody like me, that isnt affected by obama either way, its hilarious how he cant even do one thing correctly. Its like having jerry lewis as president. I find it funny thats all.

Hey, I laughed at bush alot. I wasnt affected by him or obama in any way so far. If im forced to pay health care, then that will be the first thing a president has ever done that has affected me, and ill fight against that.

I find presidential screw ups hilarious, obama just a bit more so. Considering how much obama promised, and then instantly went against his own promises. Its like watching a reality tv show for me, and its funny.

Im sorry for all the problems either president has caused. Bush may have screwed up alot, but obama spent millions of dollars promising change. Bush couldnt help himself, but obama promised better but still screwed up. So which is worse?

Hey, I laughed at bush alot. I wasnt affected by him or obama in any way so far. If im forced to pay health care, then that will be the first thing a president has ever done that has affected me, and ill fight against that.

I find presidential screw ups hilarious, obama just a bit more so. Considering how much obama promised, and then instantly went against his own promises. Its like watching a reality tv show for me, and its funny.

Im sorry for all the problems either president has caused. Bush may have screwed up alot, but obama spent millions of dollars promising change. Bush couldnt help himself, but obama promised better but still screwed up. So which is worse?

Bush broke a lot of promises too. He stated back in 2000 he would not attack a country unless we were attacked first. Well he attacked a country first with Iraq...... All candidates do break their promises from the campaign, Democrat or republican. If the Americans fell for it again, it's there fault.

Hell, even McCain did as well. During his campaign he stated he was for helping out GM and Chrysler( not the way Obama did it, but some form of aid I believe). But, today he stated he thought GM and Chrysler should not have been helped at all.

Bush broke a lot of promises too. He stated back in 2000 he would not attack a country unless we were attacked first. Well he attacked a country first with Iraq...... All candidates do break their promises from the campaign, Democrat or republican. If the Americans fell for it again, it's there fault.

Hell, even McCain did as well. During his campaign he stated he was for helping out GM and Chrysler( not the way Obama did it, but some form of aid I believe). But, today he stated he thought GM and Chrysler should not have been helped at all.

Yeah bush screwed up alot. But he is gone now. Now its obama, who should have learned from bush, but didnt. He is making the same mistakes and even bigger ones, and most of america is blindly following him.

Some people are in real bad shape and admitting that obama is useless, is like admitting that their problems wont go away. For those of us not affected, we can look at obama and laugh, just like we did with bush. Some people have to blindly follow the leader, either out of weakness or because they need some type of hope that their lives will get better. I feel sorry for them, but blindly following a crackpot like obama isnt gonna help anything.

I am a libertarian and the day Obama was elected I was completely ashamed to be an American. I can't believe we live in a country that is stupid enough to elect a fool like Obama to the office of President. He has almost no experience and his background is quite disturbing. I agree McCain isn't presidential material either, but I'm sure he would have done much better than Obama as he is fairly moderate and doesn't have a radical agenda or ideas.

That Bush picture is pretty funny. He was entertaining, that's for sure.

Although I'm not aligned with the President politically, I don't really think its that big of a deal. Like others have said it seems to be in line with the custom of the country. We've got other things to worry about, like being $10+ trillion dollars in debt.

Another right-wing non-story useless attack that doesn't say anything about his decision-making powers for the country as the president

The GOP is going to be SO entertaining for the next 3 years. They already have been so far.

You people are pathetic. Does your adoration of The One extend so far that you are incapable of admitting when he screws up?

Presidents of the United States do NOT bow to foreign leaders. It simply is not done. No head of state of any nation bows to another head of state. It signals subservience. This is just another example of amateur hour in foreign policy. The DVD's to the British PM, the iPod to the Queen, the misspelled 'Reset' button to the Russians, the announcing of the missile defense decision on the anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland, bowing to the Saudi King, and now bowing to the Japanese emperor. If you do not think this stuff negatively reflects on his decision making abilities, you are delusional.

That Bush picture is pretty funny. He was entertaining, that's for sure.

Although I'm not aligned with the President politically, I don't really think its that big of a deal. Like others have said it seems to be in line with the custom of the country. We've got other things to worry about, like being $10+ trillion dollars in debt.

yes, bowing is customary in japan, but not on this level. people of that importance dont bow to each other, maybe a little head nod or something like the emperor did. in case you cant see very well, obama is bent over at a 90 degree angle ready to shine the emperors shoes. that is a bow that a serf would give to his king.

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some italian, german, and japanese ones; and on order more of the same

I don't see the big deal either. What many don't understand is that all of these moves and "protocol" are discussed and planned in advance. President Obama is the head of state and constitutional lawyer. If anybody knows the rules of engagement and other random boring government policies it should be him.

Lets say he did break some rule. What does that say? Does him bowing say that the U.S. is inferior to Japan? Seriously. What does it say? I'm curious to know. When you visit someone's house/land you should pay them respect. President Obama could have just given him a handshake. I think it would have been odd. Bowing was his choice. Just look at the height difference.

I dont see how so many people can think he wants to run this country off a cliff. Now THAT is what I think is laughable.

You people are pathetic. Does your adoration of The One extend so far that you are incapable of admitting when he screws up?

Presidents of the United States do NOT bow to foreign leaders. It simply is not done. No head of state of any nation bows to another head of state. It signals subservience. This is just another example of amateur hour in foreign policy. The DVD's to the British PM, the iPod to the Queen, the misspelled 'Reset' button to the Russians, the announcing of the missile defense decision on the anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland, bowing to the Saudi King, and now bowing to the Japanese emperor. If you do not think this stuff negatively reflects on his decision making abilities, you are delusional.

Yeah that is true. NO US PRESIDENT HAS EVER TRIED AND RESPECT THE CUSTOMS OF ANOTHER COUNTRY. In this picture George Bush is just trying to do a lil' romancing before he goes in for the big kiss.